I'd Really Love to See You Tonight
by Beth Smith
Summary: All those years ago, he'd broken her heart. Now she's finally moved on with her life and become strong. But a chance meeting might change everything. Or it might just lead to a fling. Bad summary, yet again. Sorry. Guess who?
1. Prologue

**Disclaimer & A/N: **Don't own anyone or anything… It belongs to some really ridiculous people who totally ruined the final season. If it belonged to me, Jackie and Hyde would be married and have kids and stuff. Lol. This fic also came to me following talking to Casper1990… We were kind of talking about Jackie and Hyde's relationship and how it probably would really have worked out… So, I'm gonna goof around with it and see what happens. The song I used for the title belongs to England Dan and John Ford Coley. Last of all, all of you guys that wanted to see a multi-chapter piece from me, this is for you… Hope I actually update like a normal person. Lol.

**I'd Really Love to See You Tonight**

_Prologue_

Steven Hyde parked the El Camino in the parking lot of the new mall in Point Place. He didn't know what he was doing here, but here he was. He'd had to come back to Point Place after a while… He could swear he hated it as much as he wanted, but he could never deny the fact that it was home. He generally tended to stay as far away as he could. Point Place had a lot of things that he didn't want to be part of anymore. But when Kitty had called him for her and Red's 35th wedding anniversary… well, he just couldn't tell her no. Never had been able to, dammit all.

He climbed out of the car, making sure his sunglasses were in place, and off he was into the mall to get some random stuff at the dollar store that Donna had asked him to get. Forman and Donna were throwing the party, but of course, with Kitty's keen eye for surprise parties, she'd known about it far in advance, and had invited her beloved surrogate son to join the family for the celebration.

Hyde went into the mall with a list of things to get. It was an odd list, including fancy paper plates, and vases to put the flowers in… He shook his head. All this stuff, from a dollar store? How classy could they be?

He was walking through the food court, too many memories rushing back into his mind. This wasn't the mall that had been there when they were in high school. But it didn't change the fact that when he walked past a shoe store, he could just see a petite brunette making him try on boots.

Why had he come back? Just to remember Jackie? It was his own damn fault that their relationship was over. He'd never listened. That much he knew. He'd brought the whole thing on himself, and he knew it.

But it didn't change the fact that there were still mornings when he'd roll over in bed expecting find her. Or the fact that sometimes, he'd see a girl and think it was her, only to be sorely disappointed.

Kinda like the little brunette in the crisp black suit, talking to a shoe store manager, clipboard in hand.

Wait… She did look a lot like Jackie… A whole lot like Jackie. Hyde couldn't resist just taking a peek for curiosity's sake. He walked into the shoe store, toward the boot section, where he squatted down as if looking at a pair of boots, then stared up into a pair of mismatched eyes that he couldn't have mistaken anywhere.


	2. Hello, Yeah, It's Been a While

**Disclaimer & A/N: **Don't own anyone or anything… It belongs to some really ridiculous people who totally ruined the final season. If it belonged to me, Jackie and Hyde would be married and have kids and stuff. Lol. This fic also came to me following talking to Casper1990… We were kind of talking about Jackie and Hyde's relationship and how it probably would really have worked out… So, I'm gonna goof around with it and see what happens. The song I used for the title belongs to England Dan and John Ford Coley. Last of all, all of you guys that wanted to see a multi-chapter piece from me, this is for you… Hope I actually update like a normal person. Lol.

**I'd Really Love to See You Tonight**

_Chapter 1 – Hello, Yeah, It's Been Awhile_

Hyde stood back up as Jackie's eyes filled with shock. Fortunately, her business side took over first, and she completed her conversation with the shoe store's manager. "I'm sorry, but I have to insist that you fire her, Mr. Sullivan. I don't care if she _is_ your daughter, I will not have an intoxicated person working here!"

Hyde glanced at the manager of the store, who looked at Jackie. "Miss Burkhart, I do not appreciate you calling me out in my store in front of the customers." Hyde took notice of the words Miss Burkhart. Good. She wasn't married.

Not that it mattered or anything.

"Well," Jackie said. "You're the one who was too busy to come to my office when I asked for a meeting. I had to tell you immediately, so next time I call you to my office, I would suggest you come to my office immediately."

The man was angry, but seemed almost afraid of Jackie. Hyde kind of felt sorry for him. He knew how that felt. That guy was lucky… He didn't have to tell Jackie that he cheated on her with a nurse… Or have to see her reaction when a stripper came in and announced that he was her husband… Yeah. Lucky bastard.

Jackie gave the manager the evil eye, and he slowly walked away, back to the cash register. Jackie looked at Hyde and said, very curtly, "Hello, Mr. Hyde, can I help you with anything?"

Hyde looked at his ex-girlfriend as if she was crazy. "What the hell is that Mr. Hyde crap? Jackie, it's Steven."

"I think it would be better if you called me Miss Burkhart," she replied, her voice cool and… almost heartless. Yeah, it was definitely Jackie.

"I'm sorry, 'Miss Burkhart,'" Hyde said, his tone giving off the exact smartass effect he'd been aiming for.

"Steven," she said, the bitchiness in her tone suddenly lessened. "What are you doing here?"

"Kitty and Red's anniversary," he said. "She asked me to come, so I did." As an afterthought, he added, "And when the hell did you start telling store managers what to do?"

"When I became the manager. I run this mall, Steven. The whole thing…" She looked him in the eye, daring him to speak. "Everybody thought I'd never be anything but some man's trophy wife… Now, I mean, any man would consider me a trophy, I mean look at me… But still…"

Hyde smiled at her comment about her being a trophy. No matter how old they got, some things never changed. He looked around. "Man, Jackie… I'm really…" he wanted to say that he was proud of her for all of this, but as usual, with Hyde, the words "I'm proud of you" wouldn't come.

Jackie didn't press him even though she did wonder what he thought of it all. She'd gone to college and gotten a degree in business after a few random jobs fell through, and somehow, she'd managed to get this job. And what better job could there have been for Jackie Burkhart?

"Steven, I'm officially on my lunch break, so I'll go get us some food and we can talk in my office if you'd like." Her voice was cool again, giving Hyde the feeling that they weren't about to kiss and make up after almost a decade apart. Not that he had been expecting that. In fact, he hadn't been expecting to see Jackie at all.

But the curly-haired man nodded. "OK, yeah. I've got some time." Donna was going to murder him, but he'd blown so many chances with this girl, and he wasn't ready to blow another one.

They got some food in the food court and went to an office out of the way of the hustle and bustle of the mall.

"Steven," Jackie said as she closed the door behind them. "I made it on my own… All by myself. I am paying back my student loans without any help from my daddy… I worked my way to the top without anyone's help. And I'm proud of that."

"You should be," Hyde agreed, taking a bite of chicken from his plate. "You had to have worked your ass off to get this job."

Jackie nodded, surprised to hear Steven agreeing with her. If that had happened a little more when they were dating, maybe things would have worked out.

"Um… Steven," Jackie said softly, suddenly looking very much like the girl he remembered from high school.

"Yeah?" Hyde replied, taking off his sunglasses for once so that Jackie's eyes could meet his.

"I… It's nice to see you," she replied softly.

"Yeah," he said. Jackie hated his short one word replies almost as much as his "I don't knows" all those years ago.

"You… You look great," she said awkwardly. "I mean…the… I always thought that you looked better when you shaved."

Hyde halfway smiled at her. "You look pretty damn good yourself," he replied.

She sat down on the desk and crossed her legs teasingly in front of Hyde, who was sitting in the chair in front of her desk so he could see up her skirt just enough to drive him a little crazy.

He shifted uncomfortably in his chair, trying to force himself to look at her face.

Dammit.


	3. Not Much, How 'Bout You?

**Disclaimer & A/N: **Don't own anyone or anything… It belongs to some really ridiculous people who totally ruined the final season. If it belonged to me, Jackie and Hyde would be married and have kids and stuff. Lol. This fic also came to me following talking to Casper1990… We were kind of talking about Jackie and Hyde's relationship and how it probably would really have worked out… So, I'm gonna goof around with it and see what happens. The song I used for the title belongs to England Dan and John Ford Coley. Last of all, all of you guys that wanted to see a multi-chapter piece from me, this is for you… Hope I actually update like a normal person. Lol.

**I'd Really Love to See You Tonight**

_Chapter 2 – Not Much, How 'Bout You?_

Jackie could tell from the look on Hyde's face that this was working better than she'd expected. He looked as if he were in pain, and that brought a smug smile to the brunette's face. It had been a long time since she'd made him squirm like that. It was nice to know she still could.

With a wickedly innocent voice, she said, "Steven, the restroom is right down the hall on the right."

Hyde glared at her, torn between the desire to swear at her, and the desire to nail her right this minute, on her desk. Now that would have been hot.

He mentally cursed himself. He could deal with her. He could handle this… He hoped.

"So, Steven," she said, her voice strong. "What have you been doing since you've been gone?"

_Trying to forget about you. _"I've been workin' a lot. W.B. has about 30 stores around now, and I'm in charge of 15 of 'em." He shrugged. "I'm always on the road, so…"

Jackie nodded. "How's business going for Grooves?"

Hyde was still incredulous at Jackie talking about business… In high school, the only time she talked about business was when she was spreading other people's. This was almost too weird. But still. He kinda liked it. She looked awesome in that suit.

He shrugged in response to her question. "Not bad, really. I mean, nothin' to complain about."

Jackie nodded, uncrossed her legs, then crossed them the other way. Damn, she could be badass when she wanted to be. And he'd liked it when they were together, but this flirty, you-know-you-want-me stuff was pissing him off. Because she was right. He did know he wanted her.

"Um, Jackie," he said, trying to hide the huskiness in his voice. "Thanks for lunch and everything, but I gotta be gettin' back to the Forman's. Donna needed some stuff from the dollar store, and I haven't even been there yet."

Jackie smiled. "I'll see you at the party, then," she said, leaning over so her face was very… very close to his. "If Donna hasn't killed you before I get there."

Hyde knew better than to try to kiss her, even though the opportunity was perfect. She was doing this for a reason, and he knew that if he kissed her, she'd won. And although Hyde knew that letting Jackie win had been a good thing for him most of the time when they were together, he couldn't let her win on the first try. It had been a long time, but he wasn't going down that easy.

She walked him out of her office and watched him start toward the dollar store. He wondered if she'd looked away, or if maybe she was still watching, but a quick glance over his shoulder showed him that she had closed her office door.

-

Jackie sat down at her desk and smirked. It was nice to be on this side for once in a while. All through the relationship they'd had as teenagers, Steven had been the apathetic one. He'd been the infuriating one. And she had been the fighter, the one who had to beg and plead and cajole and threaten to get any response from him. It was nice to be the one watching him squirm now.

She smiled. Maybe it was a high school girl way to treat him, but she'd be damned if she let Steven run over her and treat her like he'd treated her before.

She could remember a time when she'd told Donna how stupid her empowered woman feminist stuff was, but over the years, she'd learned that Donna was right. Sometimes a woman had to show a man that she didn't need him. That she could make it without him. And if anything, Jackie had proven that.

She started going through a file of papers, still smirking. She wanted to see Steven's face when he saw her in the dress she was wearing to the party.

Now, that… That was going to be absolutely priceless.


	4. Maybe Later On

**Disclaimer & A/N: **Hopefully, you know I don't own it. I wouldn't have screwed season 8 up so badly…

**I'd Really Love to See You Tonight**

_Chapter 3 – Maybe Later On_

Hyde left Jackie behind to find the stupid dollar store for Donna. He hoped that when he got back she wouldn't make him pay for being late, because that would just suck. Donna had some harsh ways of making a man pay.

He walked into the store and started looking for the stuff on the list. This was weird. Shopping in a dollar store for someone's anniversary. He rolled his eyes as he picked out the stuff they needed and paid for it.

Walking out of the mall, he kept hoping he might bump into Jackie again. But he didn't have that much luck on his side today. He left the mall after dumping all the bags in the passenger's side seat of the El Camino. He needed a stiff drink after all of this. And if anybody could get him a stiff drink, it was Kitty Forman. The woman was a gold mine of all things alcohol.

Then again, he hadn't had a good joint in a long time… Maybe the circle would be a good place to take a break from this crap. Not that it was crap. At least Jackie hadn't told him what an ass he was, or how much she hated him, or how glad she'd been when he left.

In fact… she'd flirted… hadn't she? Was that flirting, or was it rubbing it in his face that he didn't have her anymore… or was it just his imagination?

He drove back down the roads to the Formans. These roads used to be so familiar, but so much had changed. There were houses where there used to be open spaces, and everything was different. He'd been away too long, no matter how hard he tried not to admit it.

He wondered what the party was going to be like. He hadn't even known Jackie was still in town, much less coming to the party. He never asked about her, and Donna and the guys knew better than to bring her up to him. It wasn't that he didn't care. He just figured that if he didn't know where she was or what she was doing, he wouldn't think about her so much.

It hadn't really worked. Even with all the drinks and the girls… Jackie stayed on his mind. He'd given up weed for the most part, although every once in a while, he did smoke a joint or two. But most times, he'd try to let liquor do the trick.

He pulled the car into the Formans driveway. Eric and Donna were outside setting up tables in the back yard. Hyde walked around and said, "Here's the stuff."

"Hyde, what the hell took you so long?" Donna asked, looking at her friend with an eyebrow raised in question.

"Um… I kinda ran into someone at the mall, and stopped for lunch," he said, trying to sound cool.

Donna knew him better than that, though. "Hyde… you're such a dillhole. It was Jackie, wasn't it?"

Hyde glared at her. "So what if it… wait…" He was thoughtful for a moment, then looked from Donna to Eric, and back to Donna. "What the hell, Donna? You knew she was there, didn't you?"

Donna shook her head, but weakly, as if she wasn't trying to be convincing. Hyde shook his head. "Dammit, Donna, why did you set me up like that?"

"I didn't set you up, Hyde. I didn't know you'd run into Jackie…" She was trying to look innocent and failing miserably. But it was true. She didn't know, she'd only hoped that maybe two of her best friends would meet up and quit being dumbasses.

Hyde shook his head. "Well, I gotta go see if Mrs. Forman… Uh… needs some help…"

Eric shook his head. When the door shut behind Hyde, the still-skinny man looked at Donna. "Ten bucks says he's going to get a drink."

-

Hyde walked into the living room, where Mrs. Forman was setting out the drinks. "Hey, uh, Mrs. Forman," he said, feeling pretty desperate for some alcohol. "Um… can I have a drink?"

Kitty's knowing eyes met Steven's. "Oh, Steven, you saw Jackie, didn't you?"

Hyde's face showed shock. How the hell had she known that just from looking at him. "Yeah," he said. "I saw Jackie, but that's not why I want a drink."

Kitty knew he was lying, but she was going to let him off the hook for now. She just hoped he knew that tonight, he was going to have to talk things over in the kitchen.

-

A few hours later, Jackie was driving toward the Formans in her Jag convertible. This was a great car; she'd worked hard for it.

Without Steven. Or Michael. Or Fez. Or her dad.

She'd done it on her own. And it was killing her that the part of her that wanted Steven so much was still alive and well. She shouldn't have eaten lunch with him. It had stirred up too many memories. It had hurt a lot. But at the same time, it had been fun, seeing him want her so much.

But tonight, she was just going to hold on and see what happened. She didn't need Steven. But that didn't change the fact that part of her still wanted him more than anything sometimes. It didn't change the fact that when she had been dating Fez, she'd woken up in his arms and almost called him Steven so many times. But still. She'd fought hard and made a life for herself without him. And she wasn't sure she was ready to think about changing things. Their past had been nasty, and Jackie wasn't one to forgive and forget so easily.

Oh, well…

Some party this was going to be.

**A/N: **This is definitely not the best chapter yet, it's just kind of a transition chapter... But R&R anyway...


	5. We Could Get Together for a While

**Disclaimer & A/N: **Hopefully, you know I don't own it. I wouldn't have screwed season 8 up so badly…

**I'd Really Love to See You Tonight**

_Chapter 4 – We Could Get Together for a While_

Hyde had finished off his rum and Coke when Jackie pulled into the driveway. He blinked a few times, shocked at the beautiful car she was driving. Not that she wasn't used to beautiful things like that car, but still. That was a freaking Jag.

She climbed out of the car, and when Hyde saw the dress she was wearing, he felt like it had nailed his feet to the floor. He couldn't move. All he could do was stare at her…

The dress was dark green, had a slit up past her knee, and fit just so. It was hot… She walked close to him and said, "Hi, Steven…"

Steven almost stuttered as he said, "Hi, Jackie."

She walked right past him as if she'd only stopped to say hi to an old friend, which managed to make Hyde a little angry, if impressed at how Zen she was.

Ah, the days of teaching her to be Zen. That had been forever ago, but it seemed so fresh. Though he had to admit that her Zen had nothing on watching her beat Laurie up. That had been one of the greatest moments of his life… Watching Eric's whore sister get her ass beaten by a 95-pound cheerleader.

Speaking of which, Jackie didn't look like she'd gained an ounce since he saw her last. She looked amazing, and she still had that knack for keeping everyone's eyes on her. Or at least Steven's.

He wished the rest of the guys would get there so he'd have a reason to escape. Eric and Donna walked over to Hyde after Jackie had hugged them both and gone inside to speak to Mr. and Mrs. Forman. Eric clapped his friend on the shoulder, closed his eyes, and in his weird, I'm-trying-to-convey-feelings-of-extreme-emotion, voice, said, "Be strong, Hyde."

Hyde looked around and rolled his eyes. "Forman, you look like you're constipated, man. That's freakin' gross."

Donna shook her head at Eric as Hyde walked away. "Stop it, Eric! If Hyde and Jackie wanna get back together, you sure as hell better not ruin it for them."

"Donna!" Eric exclaimed. "Hyde and Jackie do NOT need to get back together. Donna, you know what happens when they're together. Hyde's all insensitive and crap, and Jackie's selfish, and…"

"ERIC!" Donna interrupted in a harsh whisper. "They haven't been together since we were in high school. I don't think they're exactly like they were in high school."

"Well, I do!" Eric insisted. Despite Donna shaking her head at him, he continued. "Sure, Jackie's got a great job and a lot of money, and Hyde… shaved… But Donna, that doesn't mean that they aren't still stupid enough to fight like they always did."

Donna rolled her eyes. Eric was so clueless sometimes that she just wanted to smack him. She sighed as she started toward the house, but was stopped by the sound of a roaring engine pulling into the driveway. "Kelso?!" she exclaimed, excited to see their friend in the driveway. Kelso was still single, but, since Brooke had decided to go back to school and get a doctorate, Michael was taking care of Betsy for the most part for now. And much to everyone's surprise, thus far he had managed NOT to kill her.

Kelso climbed out of the car, his daughter coming out the passenger's side. "Hi, Mr. and Mrs. Forman," she said politely.

"It's Mr. Forman and Ms. Pinciotti, sweetheart," Donna replied. "But you can call us Eric and Donna. You know that." The little girl had been there whenever Kelso had come to visit, and she was reminded every time that she could call Eric and Donna by their first names. But Brooke had raised her to be polite, and polite she was.

"Hey, guys!" Kelso exclaimed, sweeping both of his friends into a major bear hug. "Oh, my God!" he yelled happily, seeing the black El Camino in the driveway. "Hyde's here?!"

Donna nodded, and Kelso looked from the Camino to the Jag. "Wait… Who's car is that?"

"Jackie's," Donna replied. "She's doing great for herself."

Kelso looked shocked, but walked on into the house. Jackie and Kitty were sitting on the couch talking, while Hyde and Red were in the back yard. Kelso smiled and went over to where Jackie was sitting, plopping down on the couch beside her. "Hey, Jackie… long time no…"

"If you say 'Long time, no doin' it,' Michael, I will never ever talk to you again," Jackie said.

"Hey!" Kelso exclaimed. "Not in front of Betsy! I don't say 'doin' it' in front of little kids, Jackie! Geez!"

Jackie rolled her eyes at her former boyfriend. "Michael, you're an idiot."

"Idiot is NOT a nice word, Jackie!" Kelso said, his tone warning her to be careful. "I mean, she is a little kid."

"Daddy!" Betsy prostested. "I'm not a little kid."

Kelso gave her his most indignant and argumentative face, and said, "Uh-huh! You SO are!"

Betsy rolled her eyes, making Jackie laugh. The little girl switched from her Dad's lap to Jackie's. "Daddy, Miss Jackie's nice."

Kelso grinned putting his arm around Jackie. "Yeah… 'Specially when you're doin' it with her!"

Jackie's eyes widened and she smacked his arm. "Michael! You just said not to say doin' it in front of Betsy!"

"Doin' what?" the girl asked innocently.

It was at this point that Hyde walked in, and the last thing he'd wanted to see was staring him in the face as he noticed Kelso's arm around Jackie. _Calm down, Hyde…You had lunch with her. You're not getting married. So what if she's with Kelso…_

But through the Zen, Jackie cold see the pain that no one else could see in the blue eyes that, unfortunately for Hyde, weren't taking cover behind a pair of shades. "Steven," she said softly, setting Betsy back on Kelso's lap. "Steven, what's wrong?"

But Hyde couldn't answer her. It would sound stupid. "I'm jealous that my ex-girlfriend is here, sitting with her ex-boyfriend's arm around her?" He wasn't going to say that. He was more of a man than that. It didn't matter that he'd been hoping that he and Jackie would spend a little time together and maybe decide that they wanted to be together again… Because it was obvious that she didn't want that.

So instead, Steven did what he'd always done to avoid awkward moments. He turned on his heel and walked out the door.


	6. It's Been Such a Long Time

**Disclaimer & A/N: **Hopefully, you know I don't own it. I wouldn't have screwed season 8 up so badly…

**I'd Really Love to See You Tonight**

_Chapter 5 – It's Been Such a Long Time_

Hyde immediately headed out toward the El Camino, but Red was quick enough to stop him. He stood between Steven and the car and said, "Steven, what's wrong with you? Why are you such a dumbass?"

Hyde shook his head. "You know what, Red? When I find out, I'll let you know, but right now, I gotta go."

Red shook his head. "Now, Steven… I don't think you know what you leaving would do to Kitty. And, see, if Kitty's not happy, I'm not happy. And if we're not happy, your ass isn't gonna be happy. Because my foot is going to be in it."

Hyde almost smiled. Red hadn't lost his foot-in-ass touch. If not for just having seen Jackie and Kelso together, he would have laughed his head off. But right now, nothing could erase the image of Jackie and Kelso on the couch together from his mind. True, it wasn't like they were making out or anything, but his arm had been around her.

Hyde wished that things weren't like this. Kelso and Forman had been his best friends since Kindergarten or something, and he didn't like that seeing Jackie and Kelso in the same room sometimes was enough to drive him crazy with jealousy. He didn't like that sometimes he wanted to smack Kelso in the face, or choke him to death. It pissed him off that even after all this time, Jackie could make him feel like that toward his best friend.

But still. The truth remained that he did feel that way. And if Red didn't let him in the El Camino, he was going to start walking. "Red, let me in the damn car!" Hyde growled.

Red shook his head. "Steven, you march your ass right back into that house and give my wife a **damn **good anniversary party."

Hyde shook his head and started off, walking down the sidewalk toward town. Not that he had any freaking clue where he was going on foot, but he was going.

Red started out after him on foot, but Jackie, who'd come outside, hopped into her car and drove after her former boyfriend. She pulled the car up beside him. "Steven Hyde, you get in this car right now."

"Go back to the Forman's, Jackie," he growled. "I'm not in the mood."

Jackie smiled coyly. "Wow… funny how you never said that when we were dating."

Hyde glared at her. "Jackie, now really isn't the time. Why don't you go flirt with Kelso?"

"Steven!" she exclaimed. "That was a long time ago. You have GOT to quit acting like we're still together. Steven, you're the one who married the stripper and treated me like crap. And sure, Michael and I dated in high school, but we're JUST FRIENDS! Got it?" She put the car in park in the middle of the road, and said, "and even if we weren't, it wouldn't be anything for you to get angry about. Steven, you made your choice, and you know it."

Hyde looked at her. He felt like screaming or running or something, but he just looked her in the eye and said, Zen intact, "You know what, Jackie? Whatever."

He turned around and headed back to the Formans' more so everyone would leave him alone than because he actually felt like going. But there was no way in hell he was getting in the car with Jackie.

When they got back to the house, Kelso, Kitty, Eric, and Donna were all in the living room looking very worried. Hyde walked into the living room and moved to sit on the organ bench.

It was at this point that Kelso stood up, excited to actually have a chance to see his friend, and completely clueless as to why Hyde had been angry. "Hyde!" he exclaimed, walking forward to hug the other man. "How's it going, man?"

**A/N: **Well, that's another semi-transitional deal. But I think it's a bit better than the other one. But please Review!


	7. And I Really Do Miss Your Smile

**Disclaimer & A/N: **Hopefully, you know I don't own it. I wouldn't have screwed season 8 up so badly…

**I'd Really Love to See You Tonight**

_Chapter 6 – And I Really Do Miss Your Smile_

Hyde just let Kelso talk, and said, "Yeah, man… Great to see you." He wasn't going to let Kelso know how jealous he was, because Kelso had always been a dumbass. And now that he was older… Well, he was an older dumbass.

But still, they _had_ been friends forever. As long as Hyde could remember, almost. Hyde didn't want it to be this way. He really didn't.

But what he wanted didn't change things.

Nevertheless, Hyde wasn't going to make a scene again. He was just going to put up with everything through the party, and then, he was getting out of here. He knew he shouldn't have come back. But, as usual, he couldn't tell Kitty no, and he'd had to come. He looked at Red. "Hey, Red, man… You got a beer?"

Red smiled. "Steven, have you ever known me not to have beer?"

Hyde grinned. "Guess not."

The two of them went into the kitchen, where Red handed Hyde two beers. "One's not gonna do it," he said. "Even though you did already have that rum and coke." He looked back into the fridge, then, as if something else came to mind, stood back up to face Hyde. "Oh, and Steven. If you ever try to get in a car and drive when you've been drinking again, I'll drive my foot into your ass."

Hyde was incredulous. How did Red always manage to pull out another foot-in-ass comment just when no one was expecting it? Hyde admired the older man for his quick wit and his ability to make asses everywhere cover themselves in fear of his foot.

Hyde sat down at the table, opening the can of Budweiser and taking a drink. "Thanks, Red," Hyde said, settling in the chair, crossing his leg so his boot was resting on his knee. "Damn good beer."

Red nodded as Hyde continued on, talking a bit more than normal about Jackie. "I don't know, man… I mean… I don't know why she got so pissed at me for leaving."

"I do," Red said, eager to stop the conversation and keep Steven from going any further. Seeing a man like Steven Hyde start talking about his feelings would have destroyed Red's faith in humanity.

"You do?" Hyde asked, confusion in the blue eyes which were, as usual, hidden behind his shades.

"Of course I do," Red said firmly. "It's because you're a dumbass."

Hyde rolled his eyes, but deep down, he had to agree with Red. He was a dumbass. Just as much as Kelso, but in his own way. Kelso was a stupid dumbass, and Hyde was a jealous dumbass. It had always been that way. And all the times he had hurt Jackie had been because of his own jealousy and nothing else…

The time he'd cheated on her with the nurse… And when he'd run off to Vegas and gotten drunk and married Sam… and decided to stay with her. The only person he could blame for any of those things was himself. No one else. As much as he'd tried to blame Jackie and Kelso for those things, they were his fault.

"Steven," Red said, breaking into the younger man's thoughts. "You should consider yourself damn lucky that Jackie even talks to you."

Hyde slammed his beer can down on the table. "Dammit, Red, I didn't come back here to watch Jackie flirt with Kelso and have you tell me what a dumbass I am and how lucky I am that Jackie talks to me."

"Well, Steven," Red said, almost amused. "If you don't want to hear that you're a dumbass, don't come here. Because I will always tell you and Eric that you're dumbasses."

Hyde nodded. "Yeah, Red, I guess so."

At this point, the door opened, and Hyde and Red both fought the urge to cringe when they heard the all too familiar voice say, "Hey, there! Hi, there! Ho, there!"

They turned around to face a now completely bald Bob Pinciotti.

"Son of a…" Red began as Hyde stood up. "Where are you going?" he asked.

"Well," Hyde said, a smile on his face. "Just thought I'd let you and Bob catch up a little."

He grinned evilly. Payback was sweet.

**A/N: **OK, so this wasn't the most plot-oriented of chapters, but it was fun to write. I wanted more interaction between Hyde and Red. Hope you enjoyed it, because I sure did.


	8. We Could Go Walking

**Disclaimer & A/N: **Hopefully, you know I don't own it. I wouldn't have screwed season 8 up so badly…

**I'd Really Love to See You Tonight**

_Chapter 7 – We Could Go Walking_

Hyde walked back into the living room, beers in hand, still amused at having left Red to deal with Bob. Jackie looked up when she saw him walk in, but immediately looked back at Betsy, who was on her lap again. The little girl looked at Hyde and said, "Miss Jackie, who is he?"

Hyde looked from the young girl's face to Jackie's, interested to see how Jackie was going to answer that question. "That's Mr. Hyde," Jackie said softly.

"You mean like Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde?" she asked, eying Hyde suspiciously.

"Michael!" Jackie exclaimed. "You let her watch Jekyll and Hyde?"

"N…NO!" Kelso insisted, though they could all tell he was lying.

"Michael, she isn't old enough to watch horror movies," Jackie insisted.

"Hey," Hyde interrupted, blue eyes showing amusement at Kelso's stupidity and Jackie's anger and bossiness. He squatted down to be on the same level as Betsy. "Listen, kid, you can just call me Hyde, all right?"

She nodded, but still looked at him as if he might all of a sudden go all werewolf or something on her. He smiled, but she still wasn't convinced.

Jackie smiled. "It's OK, sweetheart. Hyde's not too scary."

"Oh, really?" Hyde asked, his tone hiding how much he truly wondered what Jackie had meant by that. He looked at Jackie waiting for a response.

Jackie nodded, then looked back at Betsy, realizing how many different things that could have sounded like to Hyde.

Hyde smiled at Betsy. "Listen, kid… I promise I would never hurt you. I mean, your dad… He'd totally kill me."

Betsy looked proud. Why the hell any kid would be proud to have Kelso as a dad, Hyde didn't know, but hey, she _was_ just a kid.

Jackie smiled. "That's right," she said to the little girl, playing with her soft hair. "Your daddy will make sure Hyde's a good boy."

The way she said the words "Hyde's a good boy" took him back to a night when they were still in high school. A night that he really shouldn't have let himself remember, because now he was very, very uncomfortable again. Damn Jackie, how did she manage to do that to him all the time?

He stood up quickly and started toward the door. "Yeah. You've got nothing to worry about," he said to Betsy.

He looked at the others, hoping they couldn't tell from his face that he was… suffering. "Um… I think I'm gonna take a walk while the burgers are cookin', OK?"

Jackie stood up, setting Betsy down on the floor. "Um… Steven, do you mind if I go with you? I think I could use a little fresh air myself."

Hyde knew it wasn't a good idea. He knew it, so why did he say, "OK, sure"?

Why?

Because Red was right.

Hyde was a dumbass.

-

Jackie wondered why she'd asked as much as Hyde wondered why he'd said yes. The logical side of her wanted to beat the side of her that wanted to go on a walk with Steven into a pulp. She couldn't believe she'd asked, but here she was, walking down the street with her ex-boyfriend.

"It's a beautiful night," she said quietly, hoping to start some kind of conversation, even if it was on the most basic of topics.

"Yeah," Hyde replied. Jackie nearly swore at him. There went his god-awful one-word answers again, dammit.

"Um… Steven?" she said, trying again.

"Yeah?" he asked, taking of his sunglasses to look at her.

"I… Isn't it great that Mr. and Mrs. Forman have been married all this time?" she asked, bringing up another topic in hopes that it would start some kind of conversation.

"Yeah… Great…" He was distracted by thoughts of the past. Thoughts that made him wonder why the hell he'd ever gone to Vegas.

She looked at him for a moment, then stopped walking in hopes that he would as well so she could see his face.

He stopped walking and turned to face her. "What is it?" he asked.

"Nothing," Jackie replied, her tone making it obvious to anyone who knew her well that something was on her mind. Hyde could almost see the wheels turning behind the dark eyes.

Hyde smirked. "Right, Jackie," he said, his tone instantly turning to a mockingly feminine voice. "And I wanna be a ballerina when I grow up!"

Jackie glared at him. "Don't be a smartass, Steven," she warned.

"Well," he replied, "What am I supposed to do now? You tell me not to be a smartass, and Red tells me not to be a dumbass. So, what do I do? Become an average ass?"

Jackie laughed. She couldn't help it. He was so funny, and she missed this… Missed him making her laugh. She missed seeing his face. God, she'd forgotten. He'd aged a little, not as much as she'd expected, though, from a beer-drinking, pot-smoking conspiracy theorist. But then again, maybe he'd calmed down over the years.

"Steven," she said softly, looking up into those torturously beautiful blue eyes she'd fallen in love with so long ago.

"Yeah?" he said, for what seemed like the millionth time.

"It's been too long," she answered, honesty in every inflection of her tone.

He didn't say anything, just gave a curt nod of his head and put the sunglasses back in place. But he didn't turn to head back to the house, which was a good start.

Jackie continued talking since Steven wouldn't say anything. "So…" she said softly, not quite sure how to continue. "How's life been treating you?" She realized that in the time they'd spent in her office, she hadn't even asked how he was. She'd asked about business, and other pointless things, but she hadn't asked about Steven himself.

"Not bad," he said. "I… I've got a really nice condo in Chicago… Don't get to stay there as much as I'd like, though. Not that I'm complaining about traveling. I hate staying in one place too long anyway, but… I mean…"

She smiled, watching him as he continued. "I guess I'm doin' all right," he said, giving her a half smile. "What about you, Miss Mall Manager? I mean, I saw the Jag. There's no way in hell life's been too rough on you lately."

She smiled again. "Well, business is great… The car is amazing." She looked down at her feet, then back up. "I've got a nice house on the other side of town… It's really big…" _And lonely_. Jackie had never dealt well with being alone. She could do it, but it was hardly what she wanted to do.

She looked at Hyde again, eyes following the familiar set to his jaw, the lips that could go from set in a firm line, to smiling, to kissing her in seconds when they were together…

But no. They weren't together anymore.

And one night at the Formans couldn't change that… Could it?

But then again, how many times had one night at the Formans changed everything?

**A/N: **Yay for Jackie/Hyde interaction… Hope y'all enjoyed. Now, please leave me a nice long review!


	9. We've Both Played That Game Before

**Disclaimer & A/N: **Hopefully, you know I don't own it. I wouldn't have screwed season 8 up so badly…

**I'd Really Love to See You Tonight**

_Chapter 8 – We've Both Played That Game Before_

Jackie and Steven walked back to the house in silence after the cool air had sufficiently calmed both of them. Jackie felt so strange. It was nice to talk to Steven now that he had grown up somewhat. But then again, she'd had a lot of growing up to do herself, and she supposed that there had been times when she'd been pretty unbearable to Steven as well.

She thought about all the things that had gone wrong in their past, and she couldn't deny that both of them had done their fair share in destroying their relationship. She had never cheated on Steven. That was true enough. But that didn't change the fact that she had practically tried to force a 19-year-old to say he would marry her.

She should have known that wouldn't work after she tried it with Michael.

She had hurt him, too. She knew that. She had seen it in his face so many times. No matter how Zen he had been, Jackie knew better than to believe that things didn't bother him.

She wondered what things would have been like if she and Steven hadn't been such a pair of stupid kids. But then again, they were all stupid kids back then. For God's sake, Eric and Donna had gotten engaged in high school, then ended up not getting married, and Eric had left. Everything had been so crazy back then. Every moment had seemed like the last one to her… It seemed like she had to get everything done as quickly as possible. Find a guy, fall in love, get engaged, get married…

She thought about how she had blamed Steven's family for his commitment phobia. She blamed the fact that his parents gave him a bad example of marriage for the fact that he wouldn't marry her.

She'd never thought that her own parents had caused the same problems for her in reverse. Because of the fact that her mother had left and her father had gone to jail, she had been terrified of losing Steven, too. Whether or not she had thought it then, it was true that a lot of her need to be reassured had come from that experience.

It made her a little angry to think that their parents had contributed to things falling apart like that. But at the same time, she knew that parents weren't totally to blame. It didn't help that she and Steven _had_ been stupid teenagers.

But still, they were at the Formans'. And as far as she knew, that old basement was still there. And things tended to happen in the basement. Not that she was expecting anything to happen. It had been a long time, and they had just started talking again after years apart. It wasn't like they were going to go at it on the couch in the basement. At least… most likely not. Although… given their history… _No!_ her logical mind told her. _You are not going to do anything stupid with Steven._

-

Hyde couldn't believe that after all this time, he still wanted Jackie so much. Thanks to her tagging along, the walk had done little to ease his discomfort, or to help him clear his thoughts.

It was taking every ounce of Zen he had not to pin her against the wall and kiss her until they were both completely senseless. He knew he couldn't do that, though. Not now. Not after everything he'd done. Red was right. He was lucky she even talked to him. Hell, he was lucky she even acknowledged his presence.

And he wasn't going to screw up her new perfect life. Not for anything. He couldn't do that to her. He'd screwed her over too many times, and she didn't deserve to have to put up with him ever again.

He wouldn't hurt her again. He couldn't do that. And if it meant fighting every urge in his body, he wouldn't let them get that close again… Wouldn't put himself in the position to hurt her.

Even if it killed him.

-

When the two of them entered the house, Kitty smiled. "The food is almost done, kids," she said. She had hoped that maybe when they got back, they would have talked things out, but it was obvious from their faces… at least to Kitty… that if they were going to get back together, they were going to need a little push in the right direction.

And Kitty had just the plan… But she was going to need a little help. But from whom?

As if to answer her question, a voice with a decidedly foreign accent announced, "The party has finally arrived!"


	10. I Don't Want to Change Your Life

**Disclaimer & A/N: **Hopefully, you know I don't own it. I wouldn't have screwed season 8 up so badly…

**I'd Really Love to See You Tonight**

_Chapter 9 – I Don't Want to Change Your Life_

The party really got started when there was food on the table. Although, the way Hyde was feeling right now, he'd ten-to-one rather have had a pan of special brownies than hamburgers. At least after digesting some of… what had he called it to Mrs. Forman that time? Oh, yeah… After eating some of a "big bag of love"… or smoking it as the case may be… he knew he'd feel a lot better about this entire situation.

The group watched Kitty and Red go first before Eric and Donna, then Fez, who was overjoyed to discover the big bowl of M&M's on the table. Hyde rolled his eyes. Fez was older, but he was the same old kid with a candy addiction that they'd all known and loved… most of the time…

After all of them had gone through the line, Eric and Donna toasted Kitty and Red's marriage. Hyde had to smile. He didn't know how a sweetheart like Kitty and a hardass like Red had made it so long, but the fact was, that they were just as much in love now as ever, and Hyde was impressed.

He guessed that not everybody was like his parents. Not everybody was stupid. Not everybody refused to give a little.

Sighing, he settled down onto the couch with his food. Kelso sat down beside him, and Betsy sat on the other side of her daddy, still not quite sure about the man with the wild hair who wore sunglasses inside.

She was really confused about the whole sunglasses thing, too. "Daddy," she whispered, poking Kelso in the shoulder. "Why does Hyde wear glasses inside?"

Kelso shrugged. "I always thought it was 'cuz he could burn holes through ya with his eyes…" he replied honestly, in that voice that had always either made Hyde smile, or made him want to frog Kelso in the arm.

"Michael!" Jackie exclaimed. He wasn't good at the whole NOT scaring his daughter thing. "Honey, Hyde can't burn holes through people with his eyes." She sat down next to the young girl. "He wears those sunglasses… because…" She was silent for a minute, looking at Steven, who stared back at her through his sunglasses. "He wears those sunglasses, because he doesn't like it when people can tell what he's thinking."

"Yeah," Hyde agreed, adding his own part to the story. "Because I like to play poker… I mean… Go Fish. And when you…um… play Go Fish, if people can see your eyes sometimes, they can tell what you're thinking… And… And you can't win."

She looked at him, wide eyed. "Really?"

Hyde nodded. "Yep. They sure can."

She walked over to him. "Hyde," she said, sounding very much like a grown-up, despite her age… and her father… "Do you think if I started wearing sunglasses, I could win more when I play cards?"

Hyde nodded, and smiled. "But, uh… Kid, I'm pretty sure you could beat your dad anyway…"

She nodded. "Oh, I always beat Daddy. I meant when I play with my friends."

Hyde laughed out loud at that, as Jackie grinned at Kelso and said, "Burn, Michael. Burn."

Kelso looked at them indignantly. "W…Well, she's a _smart kid_, guys!"

Jackie shook her head. This was so much like high school in so many ways. But then again, it was a lot different. She was still the prettiest girl in the room of course, and Kelso was still an idiot. But now there was Betsy, and she wasn't in her appropriate place on Steven's lap.

She shook her head, settling back into the sofa, the look of amusement still on her face. This was going to really be something.

It was just exactly what that something was that she wasn't quite sure of.

-

Hyde was amused. Kelso's daughter could beat him at cards. He found himself wondering about things. Like, weird, girly things that he couldn't believe he even thought about. Such as, if he and Jackie had gotten married all those years ago, would they have had kids by now? Maybe a daughter of their own? And what would she look like?

He physically shook his head, hoping to shake the thoughts into nothingness. Although, there was only one thing that could send his thoughts into nothingness… And partaking of a little of _that_ later on sounded like a wonderful idea to him.

He looked at Jackie, smiling just a little. What was he doing? He didn't want to change things for her. She had the life she'd always wanted… without the husband or kids… Well… OK, not the life she'd always wanted, but something better. Something better than she could have dreamed of. And he'd already decided he wouldn't hurt her again. He'd meant it.

He sighed as he took another drink of his beer. This wasn't going to be easy. Because she looked way too sexy for her own good in that little green dress.

-

As the gang sat there, reminiscing, Kitty suddenly stood up. "Fez, honey, could you help me out in the kitchen?" she asked.

Fez stood up proudly. "Of course, Miss Kitty," he said, smiling at her.

The gang all started looking around the room at each other.

When Kitty asked Fez for help in the kitchen, it could only mean one thing.

She had a plan.

And everybody knew that when Kitty had a plan, everybody had to watch their backs.

Because there was no telling who she might be after.

And when Fez was involved… well, this was going to be interesting.

And somehow, Hyde had a good idea that love was in the air… or at least, in Kitty's and Fez's minds.

This could NOT be good.


	11. I Was Thinking

**Disclaimer & A/N: **Hopefully, you know I don't own it. I wouldn't have screwed season 8 up so badly…

**I'd Really Love to See You Tonight**

_Chapter 10 – I Was Thinking_

The group continued eating, as Hyde worried about what Kitty was doing. He hated worrying, but this was Kitty and Fez. That just couldn't be good.

Kitty came back into the room a bit later with drinks on a tray. Hyde eyed both Kitty and Fez suspiciously.

"What, Steven?" Kitty asked, in her "innocent" voice that always told everyone that she was as guilty as sin.

Hyde just looked at her, eyebrow raised. "Nothin', Mrs. Forman," he replied. He was on to her. And she knew it. But neither of them said anything else about it… Not for now, anyway.

Kitty handed out margaritas, strangely deliberate about who she was giving them to. Hyde was even more suspicious, but he figured Kitty wasn't going to poison him, so why not?

He took a sip and didn't taste anything out of the ordinary that he could think of, so he proceeded to drink more. It was really good.

He settled down, almost feeling his nerves relax. This was kinda nice. So nice, in fact that he asked for another drink, and then another.

Hyde tried to stand up, but suddenly felt dizzy and realized how much tequila was in his system. Had he really had that many? He looked at the others as they left… Donna he knew for a fact had partaken of the same number of margaritas as he had, and she was only a little tipsy.

And then he realized that Jackie couldn't walk straight either. Something was very… weird about this.

Dammit. Mrs. Forman had to have doubled the tequila. How had he missed that?

He knew he'd been paying a lot of attention to Jackie, but dear God, he had no idea it had been that bad. So bad that he didn't even notice an extra shot or two of tequila in his margarita? That was pretty bad.

Jackie stumbled toward the kitchen to call someone to come get her, but before she made it, she tripped and fell onto the couch beside Steven. "Hi, Steven!" she exclaimed in the most high-school-cheerleaderish voice she had used in years.

"Hey, Jackie," he replied, as Zen as a very drunk Hyde could be. "Um…" he said, suddenly feeling very stupid… but in the way that he didn't mind as long as he was drunk or high. "You're drunk…"

She wrinkled her nose at him. "So're you…"

He nodded. "Uh-huh… I know…"

She smiled. "Steven… You remember when we were in high school and we used to sit in the Circle, and…"

Hyde nodded. "Yep… Do I ever."

She grinned wickedly. "We should do that again sometime."

Hyde gave her a half smile, "Yeah," he said, though he wasn't quite sure she really meant that. She was flying pretty high on that tequila as it stood, and to add weed to tequila… As fun as it would be… He didn't know if he'd be able to handle his former girlfriend at that point.

Kitty walked into the room, noticing Jackie pressed into what looked like a very uncomfortable position at Steven's side. "Um… Kids," she said, her face clearly saying that her plans were working out just like she'd wanted them to.

Hyde and Jackie both looked up at Kitty. "Yeah?" Hyde asked.

"I think you two are a little too drunk to drive tonight," Kitty said, adding her signature laugh.

Hyde groaned. He knew exactly where this was going, even in his drunken state. Kitty was going to make the two of them stay overnight. Dammit. He really didn't need to be in the same house with Jackie at night. It just couldn't be a good idea.

But he was too tired and drunk to protest. But still. He knew this couldn't be good. He tried to stand up, but he really didn't want to. His head would hate him for it. So he just looked at Mrs. Forman almost helplessly. "Just stay there, Steven," she said, smiling.

Jackie scrambled for the other end of the couch, almost as if afraid of being so close to him. He didn't move until Mrs. Forman handed him a blanket, and even then, he just pulled it over himself, curled up into a ball and rested his head on the arm of the couch. Jackie did the same at the other end. Hyde's legs were cramped, but he wouldn't move. The last time he'd slept that close to Jackie… things had been a lot different then. A lot different.

He closed his eyes, slowly beginning to doze off, when he heard her voice softly say, "Steven?"


	12. I Won't Ask for Promises

**Disclaimer & A/N: **Happy Valentine's Day, guys! A little late, but hope it was good anyway… Thanks so much for reading and reviewing, and I hope this chapter makes you happy! 

**I'd Really Love to See You Tonight**

_Chapter 11 – I Won't Ask for Promises_

_He closed his eyes, slowly beginning to doze off, when he heard her voice softly say, "Steven?"_

He moved so that he could see her in the dark, her eyes glittering in the light from the kitchen, which Kitty had insisted on leaving on "in case they needed to go to the bathroom."

"Um… Yeah?" he asked, wondering what was on the brunette's mind.

"My… My legs are cramped…" she replied, wanting to smack herself on the hand for even saying that.

"Do you want me to sit in Red's chair?" he asked, raising an eyebrow and already reaching for his blanket.

"No…" Jackie replied forcefully, slowly adding, "I mean, no… I'll move…"

Hyde looked at her like she'd lost her mind. Was this the same Jackie he'd known forever? It couldn't be. The old Jackie would have thought only of her own comfort. This was strange.

He shrugged as he sat there, looking at her. "No, don't do that…"

"Well," she said softly… "What are we supposed to do?"

Hyde huffed as he said, "Come on, just stretch out here…"

She looked at him strangely. "Are you sure?"

"Yeah," he said. "I won't touch you, I promise…" He was too drunk to honestly care anyway. Unfortunately… Last time he'd been that drunk with a girl, he'd ended up married to her… By accident.

He didn't plan to do that again. But then again, he hadn't planned it the first time either. Only, that time… Well, he didn't like thinking about that time, so he didn't.

Jackie stretched out beside Steven, too drunk to realize how close they were at that moment in time. She turned her back to Steven, who turned his to her before realizing that his face was stuck in a couch cushion. "Jackie…" he began, trailing off.

"Yeah?" she replied, her words slurred a bit from her margaritas.

"This isn't workin' out so hot," he said, turning back over, careful not to push her off of the couch.

She turned to face him and realized that she'd forgotten just how blue his eyes could be, even when they were in the dark. When she saw the light from the kitchen glinting in those amazing eyes, she wished that she hadn't turned over. Looking at him like that brought back too many memories, in such a rush that even tequila couldn't fight them back.

Hyde looked at Jackie, not realizing until then how badly he'd missed her. Having her this close was a bad idea. It really was. He knew better. He couldn't be this close to her without doing something that he would probably regret later.

Jackie looked at him again, and, against her better judgment said, "Steven… I've missed you."

Her tone was low, and Hyde felt like he had a knot in his stomach. "Yeah," he replied, much to his ex-girlfriend's frustration.

She moved closer to him, shivering a little. It was chilly in the Forman's house.

"You OK?" asked the blue eyed man.

Jackie nodded, reaching up to touch Steven's face. "Yeah… Yeah, I'm fine now…"

He looked down at her, suddenly losing resolve and fighting back a lump in his throat that wouldn't quit. "J… Jackie?"

"Mm-hmm…"

"I don't know if…" he started, but she shook her head, begging him not to keep this from happening.

"Jackie," he said, giving it one more try. "I couldn't promise you a future when we were kids, and… I really don't know if I can now or not, and…"

"I'm not asking you to," she replied, meeting his eyes. "Steven, I'm an adult now. It's not like… It's not like I'm a teenager anymore."

She looked sad. Tequila and an ex were never a good mixture. Especially for Jackie. She'd long ago given up on finding her true love… Her future husband, the man who'd want to settle down and raise a family. In fact, Steven himself had killed that dream. But tonight, she was drunk, and she just wanted to be with him.

"What do you mean by that?" he asked, his speech slurred, though not as much as hers.

"I mean that I don't think I'm going to end up married with that perfect little life I wanted before… I mean that I don't believe in those little girl dreams anymore…" Her eyes showed how much she had been through. They didn't hold that same sparkle as they had before.

Steven felt weird. He knew that long ago, that sparkle had shone just a little brighter when he was around. And he further knew that he had been the one who put it out. And for that, the Steven that hid underneath the Zen knew that he owed her a lot more than he could ever give.

So he was going to do the right thing, despite his body and the tequila telling him otherwise. He wasn't going to give Jackie what she asked for. He was going to give her what she needed.

He shook his head at Jackie. "Listen," he said, not wanting to show her his soft side, but knowing that it was the best thing he could do. "Just go to sleep tonight, OK? I gotta feelin' you're gonna regret those margaritas enough in the morning without adding me in the mix, allright?"

She shook her head, but Hyde was having none of that. He put his left arm around her waist and slid his right under her head, pulling her close to his chest. When they were dating, she never slept better than when he was holding her, and tonight was no different. With Hyde's chin resting on top of her head, she buried her face in his chest and fell asleep.

**A/N: **OK, this may have been a little anti-climatic and a bit mushy for Hyde, but hey, I started it on V-day, what did you expect? And I didn't want them to just go at it on the couch… It just didn't feel right. They _aren't _kids anymore, and hopefully, they've learned things about themselves that will make them better people… Anyways. Review, please?


	13. So You Don't Have to Lie

**Disclaimer & A/N: **Sorry for taking so long to post. Real life has been busy lately with school and all, so I'm gonna try to write more while I can.

**I'd Really Love to See You Tonight**

_Chapter 12 – So You Won't Have to Lie_

Steven woke up the next morning to find Jackie's hand pressed against his chest and his own hand wrapped around hers. How had THAT happened? He looked at her hand in his for a moment, before letting go, and burying his face in the couch pillow so that he couldn't see her. He couldn't look at her anymore without remembering things he didn't want to remember. The buzz from the alcohol was gone, and he couldn't just look at Jackie anymore. All it did was remind him what a jackass he had been.

He closed his eyes against the sight of Jackie lying so close to him, but that didn't change the fact that the couch wasn't that big, and their bodies were pressed close together.

A yawn made him look back at the small brunette as her eyes fluttered open, then immediately squeezed shut against the light. "Damn," she swore as she buried her face in Steven's chest before backing away from him. "Steven," she said, looking up at him through squinted eyes. "What happened last night?"

She was sore all over, but that could be due to sleeping on the couch as much as anything else. "Steven, did we…" She looked at him, not sure what she hoped he would say.

"No," Hyde said, his tone insistent. "We didn't do anything."

"Are you sure?" Jackie asked, still watching him through bloodshot eyes.

"I'm pretty sure I'd know if I'd slept with you, Jackie," he said, anger edging into his tone.

"Um… Good," Jackie said, a bit too hung over to be good at presenting a front.

Hyde shrugged. "Whatever," he said, again burying his face in the couch.

He was so glad that they hadn't slept together the night before. He was pretty sure that it would have really pissed him off if they had done it, and she hadn't remembered. He looked at her for a minute. "But trust me," he said, his tone almost vengeful. "It wasn't cause you didn't want to."

She glared at him angrily. "What the hell is that supposed to mean?" she demanded.

"You tried your dead level best to get me to screw you last night," Hyde said, reaching for his sunglasses to hide the anger that was beginning to flash in his bright blue eyes. God, she was so infuriating. Why had he done this? He shouldn't have come back.

"Steven," she growled. "I did not!"

"Fine, Jackie… Just tell yourself that if it makes you feel any better!" At this point, he was all but yelling, and it only made their headaches worse.

"Dammit, Steven, stop yelling!" Jackie exclaimed, putting her hand to her head.

Hyde groaned, and rolled his eyes. "Listen, just stay here, I'll be right back."

He managed to get off the couch without Jackie falling in the floor and walked into the kitchen, looking for a dish cloth. He found one and ran cold water over it. Taking it back in the livingroom, he handed it to Jackie without a word.

She pressed the cold cloth against her throbbing head. Hyde looked at her, fighting back all the anger he wanted to take out on her. She didn't deserve it, and he knew he shouldn't be like that, but she'd tried to get him to sleep with her the night before, and that wasn't like her.

She looked back at him, glaring angrily. He almost smiled. She still looked incredibly dangerous, but somehow non-threatening at the same time when she did that. "Steven, what are we doing?" she suddenly asked, her tone much softer.

"What?" Hyde replied, a bit startled by the break in the silence. "What do you mean? I just got you a cold cloth for your hangover."

Jackie gave him a look that told him to quit being a smart ass. "That's not what I meant and you know it," she said angrily.

"Yeah, I know," he replied, suddenly very interested in the pinky fingernail on his right hand.

"Steven, we aren't kids anymore, so why are we acting like it?" She looked at him as if waiting for him to explain everything to her. She could remember when they were dating, and Steven always seemed so smart. She liked being around him, whether or not she ever admitted to it. He made her think more than she ever had.

He sat back on the couch. "I don't know, Jackie. I wish I did." In all honesty, he wasn't sure why he was acting like this. The old Steven Hyde would have just taken a meaningless screw the night before and left this morning without giving a damn. But he hadn't, and he knew there had to be a reason why.

Looking at Jackie, he shook his head. "I really don't know," he reiterated.

Jackie knew the reason behind her side of this whole thing. The fact of the matter was that Steven had been the first man who hadn't treated her like a girl with no better use for her brain than shopping. It had been something she'd never forgotten, and she'd always loved him for it. And even though he'd broken her heart all those years ago, it didn't change the fact that she had feelings for him that she couldn't help.

She sat up on the couch and looked at him, trying to change the subject. "I bet I look horrible, don't I?"

Hyde, not being the "you always look beautiful type" replied, "Yeah. You're lookin' pretty rough."

She shook her head. He could be such an ass. But an honest ass he was.

This was pointless. They were getting nowhere fast, and it was irritating.

Hyde looked at her. "Listen, Jackie. I'm pretty sure you were so drunk last night that you didn't know what the hell was going on, and I don't do that whole drunk-off-your-ass sex thing."

"Oh, really? When did you break that habit?" she asked in her most bitchy, nonchalant of tones.

"What the hell, Jackie?" Hyde exclaimed, throwing his hands up in the air.

"Steven," she said, more softly again. "I'm sorry. That was rude."

Hyde looked at her for a minute. When he had been with Jackie, rudeness had been second nature to her. And she'd liked it that way.

This whole thing was almost surreal to him. What was going on, he had no clue. It seemed crazy, and he didn't like it.

-

Unknown to Jackie and Steven, Kitty Forman had heard their voices from upstairs and was now sitting on the stairs, almost crying. This wasn't working out like she'd planned. Steven and Jackie were only angrier than they had been before.

She decided to call Fez later that day and get him back here. He'd gotten Jackie and Steven back together once, and maybe he'd have a better idea than the one they'd used the previous night.

Either way, their time was running short. Steven was going back to Chicago on Monday. And she didn't want him to go back the lonely man that he was right now.

**A/N: **I think that was pretty much the worst chapter I've written yet. I'm sorry… Leave me a review, and tell me how crappy it is, but please be constructive?


	14. Really Just Wanted to Talk to You

**Disclaimer & A/N: **Sorry for taking so long to post. Real life has been busy lately with school, a trip, family, and all that jazz, so I'm gonna try to write more while I can.

**I'd Really Love to See You Tonight**

_Chapter 13 – Really Just Wanted to Talk to You_

When he noticed that Kitty had come into the room, Hyde looked at Jackie. "Listen, I'm goin' down to the basement," he said, walking through the kitchen door.

Jackie didn't take her eyes off of her ex-boyfriend until the kitchen door quit swinging, at which point she turned to Kitty, who was smiling just a little bit too happily to suit Jackie. "What?" asked the tiny brunette.

"Oh, nothing," Kitty replied, her signature laugh punctuating the sentence.

Jackie fought the urge to glare at the older woman. This was so damn frustrating. Kitty was obviously trying to get the two of them back together. And by getting them drunk no less. Jackie may have only weighed 95 pounds, but for God's sake, she hadn't had that many margaritas. She knew that much. Kitty had to have… Pepped them up a bit.

She settled back into the couch for a moment, angry about this whole situation. Who did Steven think he was telling her that she had tried to get him to sleep with her? What was his problem?

She wished that she hadn't done this. All Steven had ever done was hurt her… There was no point in trying again.

But why was it that, even though it had been so long, Steven still made her feel the same way. She still wanted him to pin her to the wall and kiss her or something. What was wrong with her? She hated herself for caring so much. She hated that she wanted him so badly. She hated that a part of her still missed him sometimes. And she hated that now that he was here, she wanted him to apologize for all the things he'd done and beg her to take him back so she could.

And the worst part was… Even though she knew she should leave the house now and never see Steven again, she couldn't make herself do it. She couldn't just leave. And that had nothing to do with the fact that she was still hung over and could barely move.

She sat there in silence as Kitty talked on and on about God only knew what. Dammit. She hated this whole thing, and just wished her head would quit throbbing so she could at least think straight.

-

Hyde sat in the basement. Everything had changed, and yet, somehow everything had stayed the same. The basement itself was entirely different than it had been when they were growing up… smoking weed on an almost daily basis… breaking up and making up… The couch was gone, replaced by a new futon. His chair was gone… not that Hyde was surprised by that. The damn thing had been falling apart when it was his chair. Why would it be here now?

The old deep freeze had been replaced by a nice new one. Hyde walked over to it and opened it, hoping that maybe it still held its usual stash of popsicles. When he lifted the lid, he grinned. Score! Cherry popsicles were in the first box Hyde saw.

Sometimes he really missed living here… Where his friends were always just around the corner, and the popsicles were free. All he had to do was provide the weed, and all was good.

He sat down on the futon, ripping the wrapper off of the popsicle and taking a bite. Somehow these things always tasted better when he had a bad case of the munchies. But still, it wasn't bad.

Hyde heard steps on the staircase, and was pissed at himself when he realized that it disappointed him to realize that the steps were too heavy to be Jackie's.

He looked up to see Red coming down the stairs in his direction. Seeing a very mopey-looking Steven on the futon. "Son of a bitch," he swore, turning back to head upstairs.

"No, Red," the younger man called back. "I was just… ah…" He tried to think of something more manly than "reminiscing." Stumbling over his thoughts, he managed to say, "Mrs. Forman was talking to Jackie or something, and I was hungry, so… I figured there might be a popsicle down here."

"Steven," Red said, shaking his very bald head. "I don't want to hear anything about you and Jackie."

"Red…" Hyde interrupted. "I wasn't gonna say anything about me and…"

Red put up his hand to keep his surrogate son from going any further. "I said I don't want to hear it."

Hyde rolled his eyes. "Whatever, Red," he said, taking another bite out of the popsicle. "I need a beer, man."

It still felt strange to Red to actually let Hyde have a beer. It was hard to convince himself that Hyde was a lot closer to 30 than to the 17 he'd been when he first moved in with their family. And if the younger man wanted a beer… well, he could drink a beer.

Hyde and Red went back upstairs to have a beer and noticed Mrs. Forman talking on the phone. "It didn't work, Fez… They just started fighting and…" It was then that the woman saw the two men and immediately started trying to cover for herself. "Um… no… I don't want a new magazine. Thank you." She hung up the phone and faced the men with a nervous laugh. "So, boys, what were you up to?"

Hyde didn't speak, but he looked at Kitty with a look that plainly told her that he knew what she was up to, and that there was no point. But Kitty only pretended… or at least tried to pretend, that she didn't know what was going on.

Hyde looked at Red and said, "About that beer, Red…"

Red walked over to the fridge and grabbed two bottles, handing one to the younger man as he sat down at the table. Hyde looked up as he heard the shower come on upstairs. He shook his head. He was glad he was sitting at the table, or else everyone else in the room would have known just how aware he was that Jackie was showering in the same house he was in.

Kitty saw the discomfort on Steven's face, and was smart enough after a husband and practically raising a pack of teenagers to know exactly what was wrong. And she saw her chance yet again. "Steven, honey, Jackie's upstairs in the shower and I just remember that there are no clean towels up there…" She walked over to the hall closet, and pulled out a towel. "Would you take this up to her?"

Red rolled his eyes at his wife's shameless set-up. But Kitty was oblivious. She just handed Steven the towel and smiled sweetly. "Make sure you knock, Steven," she added.

Hyde rolled his eyes as he took the towel, but started up the stairs anyway. When he got to the door, he shook his head. This was stupid. What the hell was he doing? He knocked on the door, almost hoping Jackie wouldn't here.

"Yes?" she called, turning off the water so she could hear.

"Mrs. Forman sent me up with your towel," he replied, shaking his head again. Mrs. Forman and her matchmaking plans.

"Could you set it on the side of the sink?" Jackie said, wishing that Mrs. Forman would mind her own business.

Hyde walked into the bathroom, not quite able to force himself to look away from her silhouette, outlined so very clearly on the shower curtain. He wanted to just jump into the shower with her, though he knew that was the last thing he needed to do. But something had to give, or he was going to be in agony for the rest of this trip.

"Thank you, Steven," Jackie said, her voice low and gravelly. She wished that he would just forget everything and join her in the shower. They had been in love once… And she wasn't fully convinced that she wasn't still in love with him.

The tone of her voice made Steven grit his teeth against the burning in his stomach. And he knew that she knew it. "No problem, Jackie…" he replied, turning to head toward the door.

"Steven," she called out, her tone even lower than before.

"Yeah," he said, trying to keep his tone non-chalant.

"We have to talk," she replied, reaching out of the shower for her towel.

Hyde shook his head. This could NOT be good.

He handed her the towel, and stood there, not quite knowing what she wanted him to do.

She fought against her feelings, put on her bitchiest face and tone and said, "Steven, how am I supposed to get dressed with you standing here looking at me?"

"Oh… yeah… Sorry," he said, backing out the door. He stood outside, waiting on her. The teenager deep inside of him wanted to break the door down and screw Jackie on the bathroom floor. But the man in him, as usual, made him keep his pants on.

What the hell was wrong with him? He hated being a man. He'd forgotten just how few his inhibitions had been when he was young. But then again, though sex had kept him and Jackie from fighting many times, it had never solved anything. Things just stayed buried down deep until it all exploded.

So, he supposed it was time to deal with things. But dammit, the thought of walking into that bathroom and screwing Jackie senseless appealed to him a lot more than talking over all the stupid bull that was going on and all the stupid bull that had gone on.

Maybe it would be best if he just left. Hyde had never had issues getting a girl, and maybe a meaningless fling would be a lot easier. But somehow, the thought of sleeping with the newest salesgirl at Grooves wasn't quite the same as that of making love to his ex-girlfriend. That thought stopped Hyde in his tracks. Never had he ever thought of sex as "making love." She _was_ turning him into a girl. He was a freaking pansy, and it was all because of Jackie.

She walked out of the bathroom, dark hair in a towel, clad in a pair of jeans and a green button-down. Hyde blinked. "Where'd those come from?" he asked.

She gave him half a smile. "Let's just say that the last time I partied with Donna, I didn't make it home and I looked like crap. This time, I brought some clothes just in case. I mean, I can't leave here without people knowing I was the most beautiful girl at the party."

Hyde rolled his eyes. Bitch to the bitter end. "You know, I could've just given you a hickey. Same general idea."

"Not really," Jackie disagreed matter-of-factly. "I mean, when people get drunk, they'll give a hickey to anybody. Besides, I said the most beautiful girl at the party… Not the most drunken whore."

Steven shrugged. He'd missed his little bitch of an ex. And he hated himself for it.

Jackie walked closer to Steven and said, "Come on. We've gotta go talk…"

He nodded and started down the stairs for the basement.

-

Once downstairs, Jackie sat down on the couch, crossing her legs so that Steven was all too aware of how perfectly her jeans fit her curves. He plopped down beside her in the almost sprawling posture he'd so often assumed during their high school years.

She turned to him, trying to show off her own Zen to the master himself. "Steven, I don't know what's going on…" she started.

"We're acting like kids, and we're not, so we need to stop," Hyde said, his tone firm. The last thing they needed was to start acting stupid and screw themselves up again.

"Steven," she said softly, mismatched eyes lifted to meet blue ones. "I've missed you…"

Leave it to Jackie to break through the hardness of his heart with such a simple sentence. He didn't trust himself to speak, so he just leveled his gaze at her, and slid his shades back into place.

"No," Jackie said, reaching out to remove his sunglasses. "I'm so sick of you hiding from everything. This time, I don't want you to just hide behind those damned shades."

Hyde rolled his eyes. "I'm not hiding, Jackie."

She shook her head. "You're full of shit, Steven, and you know it."

He glared at the tiny brunette. "Listen, Jackie… I don't have to deal with this shit. I shouldn't have come back."

"Yeah, that's right," Jackie replied, fire flickering in her eyes. "God forbid you actually have to deal with something like an adult."

"Screw you, Jackie," he shot back, standing up and walking away from the couch.

"Steven!" she exclaimed, standing up and stamping her tiny foot on the ground. "Don't walk away from me. Nobody walks away from Jackie Burkhart."

"Watch me," he said, and, like something out a movie, he walked off toward the door.

Jackie ran after him, grabbed his arm and said, "No, Steven. I am so sick of people walking away from everything. My mom, my dad, you. And dammit, you're not going to walk away from me."

Hyde stared at her, surprised. Jackie had always known what she wanted. She'd always tried to get it, too. But when they were kids, she'd always been manipulative and sneaky to try and get her way. Now, she was fighting for it. Steven didn't know how to react to this. "What the hell do you want, Jackie?" he demanded. There was a change in his tone that neither of them had expected… An almost desperate tone that begged her to tell him what to do so that he could get it over with.

She looked at him, not quite sure how to react to that. It wasn't like him. Hyde was too good at hiding his emotions. The brunette was silent, the words she'd wanted to say suddenly blanked out of her mind by her ex-boyfriend's tone. "St… Steven."

Hyde instantly put his Zen face back on, and gave her a level stare. "Jackie, give me my freakin' sunglasses."

"No, Steven," she insisted.

"Dammit, Jackie, quit acting like a kid," he said, driving a fist into the wall.

Where had the Zen gone when he needed it? All he needed was for her to know just how much she was getting to him.

"I'm not acting like a kid, Steven," Jackie said, shaking her head at him. "And you're not acting like an adult. Adults don't hide behind sunglasses when they talk."

Hyde turned and headed toward the door, but was stopped in his tracks by an angry exclamation of "STEVEN!"

He turned around. "Jackie, I didn't come back to get back with you or apologize or whatever the hell else you're expecting me to do."

"I didn't think you did," she replied, softening her tone. "But Steven, I need to talk to you."

"About what, Jackie?" he insisted. "About what an ass you think I am? About how stupid I was to leave the almost perfect Jackie Burkhart for a slut with a lopsided rack?"

"_Almost_ perfect?" Jackie demanded, the high school cheerleader in her taking over for just a moment, before his next phrase set in. "Wait. You noticed that her rack was lopsided, too?"

Hyde rolled his eyes. "Come on, Jackie. I don't have time for this."

Walking to him, Jackie decided that it was time to get through to him the only way he understood. So, even though every adult instinct in her was telling her she was crazy, Jackie had to do something. She looked him squarely in the eye before putting her arms around his neck and kissing him.

Hyde wanted to protest, wanted to ask Jackie what the hell she was doing, but his mind was too busy running around in circles. He knew he should listen to his mind, which was telling him that Jackie had a good life, and certainly didn't need him screwing it up. But his arms slid around her, almost without his knowledge.

She slowly pulled away and said, "Now, will you listen to me, Steven?"

He wanted to curse himself for letting her kiss him. "Jackie, don't touch me again," he said, anger in his tone. His body protested as he pulled away from the warmth of the tiny body pressed against him. Every basic instinct in him told him to hold onto her… not to let her go. But he couldn't do that to her. He had to leave right now before he turned her life into a living hell all over again. "I gotta go."

She grabbed his arm, but he pulled away. "Jackie, what the hell?" he exclaimed.

"Steven," she said, not knowing how to answer him.

"Leave me alone, Jackie," he said, angrily stomping off toward the door, walking out of the basement.

And in his hurry to get away, he didn't even notice that the petite brunette behind him was in tears.


	15. Take a Drive

**Disclaimer & A/N: **Sorry for taking so long to post. Real life has been busy lately with school, a trip, family, and all that jazz, so I'm gonna try to write more while I can.

**I'd Really Love to See You Tonight**

_Chapter 14 – Take a Drive_

Hyde didn't know where he was going. Big surprise there. He was just driving around aimlessly in the El Camino. Just like high school. This whole damn trip was becoming more and more like high school. And he hated it. He thought he'd gotten away from high school years ago. And like a dumbass, he'd come back to Point Place to live it again.

He drove past all his old haunts, surprised at how much things had changed. Ever since the mall had moved to the other main highway, the part of town that used to be where everything was had become quiet. The FotoHut was torn down… He hadn't expected that. Nor had he expected how it would hit him. He had spent a huge amount of time there in his high school years, developing pictures and killing brain cells with Leo. He missed Leo. No matter what had been wrong, the old stoner had always been able to cheer him up with his mellow cluelessness and the best damn stash in town.

He sighed. He wondered how Leo was doing… Or if he was even still alive. He wished that he knew how to get in touch with the guy.

Driving on, he passed The Hub. It was still open, but hardly appeared to be the high school hangout it used to be. There were two cars in the parking lot. Hyde sighed and parked the El Camino in the parking lot, curiosity getting the best of him. He went inside and walked up to the kitchen window. "What can I get for you?" said a short blonde who looked like the topic of one of Jackie's slutty cheerleader gossip sessions.

"Uh… A hot dog with everything, fries, and a Coke," he said, almost as if he weren't quite sure that they even still served that.

"'Kay," the girl said, scratching everything down on a paper, and pointing him toward a table. "Why don't you go have a seat over there, and we'll call ya when it's done, Mr…"

"Hyde," he replied, remembering a time when there wasn't a high school kid in Point Place who didn't know his name. Most of the girls were either disgusted by him or wanted to lose it to him, and most of the guys wanted to either be his best friend, kick his ass, or run from him. He shook his head as he made his way over to the table in the corner. It had been painted a subdued shade of brown, but the paint was chipping, and Hyde, being Hyde, began to pick at it. Underneath were scratchings made with a key or a knife, and he kept picking, wondering what it said.

He grinned when he'd picked enough paint away to read what was written. "Kelso + Jackie." Then, Jackie's name had been scratched out, and underneath was scratched "Laurie." Laurie's name was scratched out, replaced by Jackie's again. But of course, that was also scratched out, to be replaced by "Brooke & Betsy." And finally, Hyde saw his own sister's name: "Angie." He shook his head. Good ol' Kelso, and his moronic self.

He continued peeling away at the paint, seeing, etched in an almost childish way, a heart surrounding the initials "E.F. + D.P." He remembered the day Forman had done that. It was their first day of high school. Eric had known, even then, that Donna was the one for him. Of course, at that time, Hyde had been convinced that Donna would never date a skinny, twitchy geek like Forman, and would therefore end up with a strong, manly badass like himself. He kept picking, and jumped a little when the girl from the counter called his name. "Mr. Hyde, your food's ready."

He went to the window and got his meal, then walked back to the table to continue his cruise down memory lane. Although, cruising down memory lane sounded more like something Forman would say than something Hyde would say. He peeled back some more paint and nearly laughed out loud when he saw where Fez had carved "Fez + Kelso Best Friends Forever."

How freakin' girly could Fez be?

Underneath that, Kelso had scratched out the words, "Hell yeah we are!"

He sighed, unwrapping the red basket thing that his food was in. Taking a bite of the hot dog, he nodded. It wasn't half bad, but it wasn't the same as he remembered. Of course, things always tasted better when you had the munchies, and Hyde had been to the Hub with a bad case of the munchies many a time.

He took another bite and leaned back into the chair. Maybe he needed to leave town early. He hadn't counted on having to deal with Jackie so freakin' much. He couldn't deal with this much nostalgia in one trip.

Taking a drink of his Coke, Hyde settled in, hoping to have the afternoon to himself. He didn't know how much more he could deal with.

-

Jackie sat in Eric and Donna's kitchen, talking to her best friend. "Steven and I had a big fight this morning," Jackie said, looking to the tall redhead for sympathy.

"Oh, my God," Donna groaned. "Not again."

"Donna!" Jackie said angrily, glaring at her friend. "You're not helping! Now get your act together and be sympathetic, you big lumberjack!"

Donna rolled her eyes. "Jackie, we're not in high school anymore… Don't you think it's time to quit calling me 'lumberjack,' you little midget?"

Jackie had to laugh at that, but she immediately sobered. "Donna!" she said, the Jackie Burkhart glare again fixed on her friend. "Make me feel better, dammit."

Donna couldn't believe this was happening. It was like all of a sudden, they had gone back in time 10 or so years, and a 16-year-old Jackie was complaining about an 18-year-old Hyde. But at the same time she had a feeling that it wasn't quite the same anymore.

Jackie shook her head. "Why is he such a jackass, Donna?" Looking to her friend for an answer, she was frustrated to receive none.

"What happened, Jackie?" Donna asked, sitting down across the table from Jackie.

"Well," she said, looking at Donna. "First, I told him I missed him, and he couldn't even listen to _that_ without his sunglasses."

Donna shrugged. "So? Hyde can't listen to anything without his sunglasses."

Jackie groaned. "Don-na!" she said, as if talking to a small child. "Stop defending him!"

Donna was silent for the time being and listened as her friend grumbled on and on. "And then, we had a fight about _that_. And then I kissed him, and he told me not to touch him. And I know he liked it, Donna."

"Liked what?" she asked, wondering whether the brunette was referring to the kiss or to telling her not to touch him.

"The _kiss_, Donna!" Jackie exclaimed. "Now, I need sympathy, but you're gonna have to work with me, here," she said.

Donna rolled her eyes and sat there, looking at Jackie. "You're such a bitch sometimes," she said, pouring herself a glass of cola.

"I am _the_ bitch, Donna," Jackie insisted, a small smile breaking through the gloom on her face for just a moment before she again looked sad.

"Well, Jackie, what do you want _me_ to do?" Donna asked.

Jackie gave Donna a patented Jackie Burkhart pout. "Feel sorry for me, Donna!" she exclaimed in a "duh" tone. She glared at her friend, who rolled her eyes.

"Jackie," she said, looking the brunette in the eye. "You're a grown woman. You have a great job, you make good money… You have a beautiful house and a beautiful car, and an awesome future. Why the hell do you want to mope around about Hyde?"

"Oh, my God, Donna, you are SO right!" Jackie exclaimed. "I make Steven think I don't need him, and he will SO want me!"

Donna shook her head. Leave it to Jackie to get the ENTIRELY wrong meaning from what Donna had said. "Jackie! You DON'T need him!" she said, frustrated with the other woman. "You DON'T!"

Jackie looked at Donna, blinking in shock at her adamant insistence. "But…"

"But nothing," the redhead insisted, eyes firmly fixed on her friend. "You're an adult. A successful happy adult. And you achieved all your success without Hyde."

Jackie sighed. Donna was right, as much as she hated to admit it. But the fact was, she still loved Steven.

And that was going to be the hard part.


End file.
